Atlanta's Latest Episode Is a Stunning Michael Jackson-Inspired Short Horror Film

In 2010, Joe Jackson admitted to Oprah that he beat his son Michael Jackson as a child. "I don't [regret the beatings]," he said. "It kept them out of jail and kept them right." The tragic irony of that statement is that Michael was never exactly right. Deprived of a childhood, he grew up to become an emotionally stunted man—one who had many private demons that eventually led to his early death in 2009.

The latest episode of Atlanta channels this type of relationship into a surrealist horror starring Lakeith Stanfield's Darius. In the episode, Darius has driven to a secluded mansion outside of Atlanta to pick up an old piano with multicolored keys that he saw offered for free online. He's greeted by the man selling it, Teddy Perkins, who lives in the mansion taking care of his brother, Benny Perkins, a famous pianist who has a rare skin disease—or so Teddy says. Teddy is a Michael Jackson-inspired character—with a high cooing voice, a plastic surgery-sculpted face, and bleached skin. Though the episode only credits Teddy Perkins "as himself," that might actually be Donald Glover hiding behind whiteface.

It begins with weird, but funny, interactions between Darius and this eccentric character. At one point, Teddy speaks into an intercom asking to get Darius some water. Later, when the water doesn't come, Teddy tells him, "Oh I don't have a butler, I just use this to remember things." He replays a number of messages, one of which reminds Teddy to wash his hands immediately.

That's when Darius starts getting suspicious. Maybe Teddy is just Benny pretending to be someone else, Darius explains during a phone call with Paper Boi—which functions as somewhat of an interlude between acts, when things start getting really weird.

Teddy shows Darius a room dedicated to his father, which consists of a faceless mannequin in complete darkness. It's dedicated to all the fathers who pushed their children, Teddy explains: Joe Jackson, Richard Williams, Earl Woods. But Teddy harbors no anger toward his father. The beatings taught him about life. The obsessive training made him who he is.

FX

What seems like a tragic analysis of celebrity upbringing takes a turn as Darius and Teddy finalize their transaction for the piano. Teddy gets angry with Darius while the two discuss the repercussions of Benny's skin disease. Up until this point, there had been no hint of danger—or a glimpse of Benny. Glover builds the tension, letting the viewer believe that this damaged musician is pretending to be his own brother. But when Darius accidentally takes the elevator into the basement, the tension reaches a crescendo as a figure with his skin covered with a mask and gloves rolls out in a wheelchair and writes on a chalkboard that Teddy is going to kill them both. He tells Darius that he needs to get the gun from the attic.

When Darius finds Teddy again, the man tells him he's the one who's been chosen. Then Teddy pulls out the gun from the attic and points it at Darius, who he handcuffs to a chair before telling him his plan to frame him for Benny's death. In a film a twist, however, out rolls Benny—who does exist! "Benny, you're alive," Darius says before Benny kills Teddy, followed by himself.

It's a shocking television episode—one that FX aired without commercial breaks, which allowed this 41-minute thriller to play out uninterrupted. And if anyone thought Atlanta wouldn't go to a full-fledged horror, then they don't know Atlanta well. At this point, it's clear that Donald Glover has landed in a rare relationship with FX where he can do just about anything he wants. This type of artistic freedom has made Atlanta: Robbin' Season some of the most thrilling television in years this season. And there's no telling what he has in store next week.

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